The Manipur government is facing a unique problem of militants killing persons accused of rape and other heinous crimes against women. A suspected rapist was on Friday night brought blindfolded to Imphal and shot dead with two bullets to the head, police said.

A security personnel stands guard in Manipur. Reuters

Themheng Ngashangba, Imphal West district Police Superintendent, said, "Suspected militants brought a blindfolded man on Friday night at Tera in Imphal and shot him dead. The deceased was identified as Irom Bobo, 43. There were two gunshot injuries in the head."

A massive manhunt had been launched to nab the accused, but no arrests have been made. The outlawed underground organisation, United National Liberation Front, has claimed responsibility for shooting Bobo. The outfit says that he had confessed to his crime.

"He was given the exemplary punishment," a spokesperson of the outfit said.

Eye witness accounts said that three persons brought the blindfolded man in car around 8 p.m. and left immediately after shooting him in the head.

Sources said that Bobo was arrested in 2003 in connection with the rape and murder of a minor girl. He had been remanded to judicial custody for one year.

Insurgents of all hues have been killing those who have raped women.

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who is in charge of the Home Department, said, "The government takes a strong view of crimes against women. For the first time we have set up a fast-track court to exclusively try crimes against women. It will go a long way in protecting the women in the state."

Police fear there could be more killings since there have been instances of rape and other sexual crimes against women.

In another incident, police had a difficult time in controlling agitating women who tried to mob Indira Moirangthem, her paramour and an accomplice when they were produced in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Monalisa Maibam in Bishnupur district on Friday.

It is alleged that Indira, with the help of these two persons, shot dead her husband, Herachandra Moirangthem, a serviceman. Womenfolk have been agitating, saying the wife had killed the husband.

The accused persons have been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days.